Germany Calling

Germany Calling was during the Second World War for propaganda purposes and equipped in about 30 languages ​​transmitting on shortwave international broadcasting service from Germany. The programs were produced first in Berlin and from 1943 in Stuttgart. The shipments were mostly recorded on wax sheet and sent to the short-wave stations. The end of 1940 500 people were employed in the foreign language radio and produced 147 hours program daily. The station announcement was: Germany calling! Here are the Reichssender Hamburg, Bremen station. ( Indeed, it was not from Bremen, but the secret transmitter from Osterloog sent).

The establishment of this service was initiated by the then Minister of Propaganda Joseph Goebbels. Target group of the program were particularly listeners in the UK and the U.S., but also in all other parts of the world. The English-language programs in the meantime acquired a certain popularity with reportedly up to six million listeners in the UK alone, which, however, decreased rapidly during the war.

Key components of the program were English-language news and first jazz music, which, however, increasingly made ​​during high-level Nazis resentment. Special gained fame in particular Charlie and His Orchestra. As representatives appeared various moderators in appearance, which were known by the disparaging nickname " Lord Haw - Haw". Sometimes prisoners were given the opportunity to personally align greetings home. Because the names were announced in advance, it increased in the English-speaking listeners particular attention, since many families waiting for news of their relatives.